diff --git a/builtin/fstk/ui.lua b/builtin/fstk/ui.lua
index 44d2ab3d8..31b104ed3 100644
--- a/builtin/fstk/ui.lua
+++ b/builtin/fstk/ui.lua
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ function ui.update()
 
 		if (active_toplevel_ui_elements > 1) then
 			core.log("warning", "more than one active ui "..
-				"element, self most likely isn't intended")
+				"element, this most likely isn't intended")
 		end
 
 		if (active_toplevel_ui_elements == 0) then
diff --git a/builtin/mainmenu/dlg_rebind_keys.lua b/builtin/mainmenu/dlg_rebind_keys.lua
index d1b442004..ec4d1357f 100644
--- a/builtin/mainmenu/dlg_rebind_keys.lua
+++ b/builtin/mainmenu/dlg_rebind_keys.lua
@@ -33,13 +33,13 @@ end
 
 local function buttonhandler(this, fields)
 	if fields.reconfigure then
+		local parent = this.parent
+
 		close_dialog(this)
 
-		local maintab = ui.find_by_name("maintab")
-
 		local dlg = create_settings_dlg("controls_keyboard_and_mouse")
-		dlg:set_parent(maintab)
-		maintab:hide()
+		dlg:set_parent(parent)
+		parent:hide()
 		dlg:show()
 
 		return true
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ local function create_rebind_keys_dlg()
 	return dlg
 end
 
-function migrate_keybindings()
+function migrate_keybindings(parent)
 	-- Show migration dialog if the user upgraded from an earlier version
 	-- and this has not yet been shown before, *or* if keys settings had to be changed
 	if core.is_first_run then
@@ -95,14 +95,14 @@ function migrate_keybindings()
 	end
 
 	if not has_migration then
-		return
+		return parent
 	end
 
-	local maintab = ui.find_by_name("maintab")
-
 	local dlg = create_rebind_keys_dlg()
-	dlg:set_parent(maintab)
-	maintab:hide()
+	dlg:set_parent(parent)
+	parent:hide()
 	dlg:show()
 	ui.update()
+
+	return dlg
 end
diff --git a/builtin/mainmenu/dlg_reinstall_mtg.lua b/builtin/mainmenu/dlg_reinstall_mtg.lua
index c167b2656..6c512ea03 100644
--- a/builtin/mainmenu/dlg_reinstall_mtg.lua
+++ b/builtin/mainmenu/dlg_reinstall_mtg.lua
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 local SETTING_NAME = "no_mtg_notification"
 
-function check_reinstall_mtg()
+function check_reinstall_mtg(parent)
 	-- used to be in minetest.conf
 	if core.settings:get_bool(SETTING_NAME) then
 		cache_settings:set_bool(SETTING_NAME, true)
@@ -19,14 +19,14 @@ function check_reinstall_mtg()
 	end
 
 	if cache_settings:get_bool(SETTING_NAME) then
-		return
+		return parent
 	end
 
 	local games = core.get_games()
 	for _, game in ipairs(games) do
 		if game.id == "minetest" then
 			cache_settings:set_bool(SETTING_NAME, true)
-			return
+			return parent
 		end
 	end
 
@@ -40,16 +40,16 @@ function check_reinstall_mtg()
 	end
 	if not mtg_world_found then
 		cache_settings:set_bool(SETTING_NAME, true)
-		return
+		return parent
 	end
 
-	local maintab = ui.find_by_name("maintab")
-
 	local dlg = create_reinstall_mtg_dlg()
-	dlg:set_parent(maintab)
-	maintab:hide()
+	dlg:set_parent(parent)
+	parent:hide()
 	dlg:show()
 	ui.update()
+
+	return dlg
 end
 
 local function get_formspec(dialogdata)
@@ -74,22 +74,22 @@ end
 
 local function buttonhandler(this, fields)
 	if fields.reinstall then
+		local parent = this.parent
+
 		-- Don't set "no_mtg_notification" here so that the dialog will be shown
 		-- again if downloading MTG fails for whatever reason.
 		this:delete()
 
-		local maintab = ui.find_by_name("maintab")
-
 		local dlg = create_contentdb_dlg(nil, "minetest/minetest")
-		dlg:set_parent(maintab)
-		maintab:hide()
+		dlg:set_parent(parent)
+		parent:hide()
 		dlg:show()
 
 		return true
 	end
 
 	if fields.dismiss then
-		cache_settings:set_bool("no_mtg_notification", true)
+		cache_settings:set_bool(SETTING_NAME, true)
 		this:delete()
 		return true
 	end
diff --git a/builtin/mainmenu/init.lua b/builtin/mainmenu/init.lua
index 14185a484..c1bbc0ae4 100644
--- a/builtin/mainmenu/init.lua
+++ b/builtin/mainmenu/init.lua
@@ -112,8 +112,12 @@ local function init_globals()
 	tv_main:show()
 	ui.update()
 
-	check_reinstall_mtg()
-	migrate_keybindings()
+	-- synchronous, chain parents to only show one at a time
+	local parent = tv_main
+	parent = migrate_keybindings(parent)
+	check_reinstall_mtg(parent)
+
+	-- asynchronous, will only be shown if we're still on "maintab"
 	check_new_version()
 end